CoA protects against the deleterious effects of caloric overload in Drosophila

We developed a Drosophila model of T2D in which high sugar (HS) feeding leads to insulin resistance. In this model, adipose TG storage is protective against fatty acid toxicity and diabetes. Initial biochemical and gene expression studies suggested that deficiency in CoA might underlie reduced TG synthesis in animals during chronic HS feeding. Focusing on the Drosophila fat body (FB), which is specialized for TG storage and lipolysis, we undertook a series of experiments to test the hypothesis that CoA could protect against the deleterious effects of caloric overload. Quantitative metabolomics revealed a reduction in substrate availability for CoA synthesis in the face of an HS diet. Further reducing CoA synthetic capacity by expressing FB-specific RNAi targeting pantothenate kinase (PK orfumble) or phosphopantothenoylcysteine synthase (PPCS) exacerbated HS-diet-induced accumulation of FFAs. Dietary supplementation with pantothenic acid (vitamin B5, a precursor of CoA) was able to ameliorate HS-diet-induced FFA accumulation and hyperglycemia while increasing TG synthesis. Taken together, our data support a model where free CoA is required to support fatty acid esterification and to protect against the toxicity of HS diets

Segmentation of Retail Food Store Formats in Qingdao, China

This study empirically estimates a multivariate binary choice model for four categories of food shopping store formats. The results indicate that in the Qingdao market, traditional counter parts such as wet markets and small grocery stores have been dominated by supermarkets and hypermarkets. At the same time, the rapid growth of hypermarkets in Qingdao is significantly challenging current supermarkets in this city, but they do not compete extensively with wet markets and small grocery stores. Further development of various categories of the food shopping store format is linked to store owned characteristics, potential interrelations among existing retail formats, as well as consumers' demographics and shopping habits.Food retail store format, consumer choice, multivariate probit model, China, Agribusiness,

Functional Foods in the Marketplace: Willingness to Pay for Apples Enriched with Antioxidants

The attention on so-called functional foods has been growing as consumers become more concerned with diet and nutrition. This article aims to measure consumers response to apples with naturally enriched antioxidant coatings. Surveys were conducted in grocery stores in Seattle, Washington and Spokane, Washington. The results suggest that consumers have a somewhat positive attitude towards functional foods in general and with apples enriched with antioxidants in particular. A contingent valuation technique was used to assess factors affecting consumers willingness to pay for the apples with antioxidant coatings. Consumers in the Spokane grocery stores are more likely to pay a premium for the new type of apples than consumers in Seattle. Consumers who look for a wide variety of product in choosing where to shop for food are more likely to pay a premium for apples enriched with antioxidants. Also, it is estimated that consumers, on average, are willing to pay from 4% to 8% premium for these apples.functional food, willingness to pay, antioxidants, Demand and Price Analysis, Health Economics and Policy,

IMPLICATIONS OF THE CONSUMER RESPONSE TO EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND DISEASES FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE: THE CASE OF JAPAN

International Relations/Trade,

Fluid milk consumption in urban Qingdao, China

This study relates the social-demographic characteristics of urban Chinese consumers to their consumption of fluid milk. A Tobit model is estimated drawing on individual consumer survey data collected in urban Qingdao in China in 2005. The major results of this study indicate that fluid milk consumption in urban Qingdao is much higher compared to China’s national level. The effect of increased income on milk consumption is positive, as expected. The expansion of modern food retailers also appears to play a positive role by facilitating consumers’ fluid milk consumption and influencing their food shopping patterns. The young and old consume significantly more fluid milk than the middle-aged. Health consciousness of the elderly and the openness of youth to new foods appear to be fuelling these consumption patterns. If the findings of this study apply to other urban regions in China, then as urbanisation continues so also will the trend of increasing fluid milk consumption in China.China, fluid milk consumption, market participation, Qingdao, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

WESTERNIZATION IN CHINA: A CASE STUDY IN PROCESSED POTATOES

Keywords: China, potatoes, westernization, food demand, convenience foods Abstract: The demand for convenience foods is growing around the world, especially in China. However, the contributing factors of this change in food preferences are still largely unknown. To measure this westernization trend, data from a survey of Chinese consumers in Beijing is evaluated using a multinomial ordered logit model to determine which consumer attributes influence the probability of consuming western foods such as French fries, mashed potatoes, and potato chips. Results show that higher income levels and positive opinions concerning western food taste have a significant influence on increased consumption of all three processed potato products. Additionally, younger ages and female gender were highly significant indicators of increased French fry and potato chip consumption.Crop Production/Industries,

Pictures are necessary but not sufficient: Using a range of visual methods to engage users about school design

It has been argued by both educationalists and social researchers that visual methods are particularly appropriate for the investigation of people's experiences of the school environment. The current and expected building work taking place in British schools provides an opportunity for exploration of methods, as well as a need to establish ways to achieve this involvement of a range of school users, including students. This article describes a consultation that was undertaken in a UK secondary school as part of a participatory design process centred on the rebuilding of the school. A range of visual methods, based on photographs and maps, was used to investigate the views of a diverse sample of school users, including students, teachers, technical and support staff and the wider community. Reported here is the experience of using these tools, considering the success of different visually-based methods in engaging a broad cross section of the school community and revealing useful information. Using a range of visual methods allows a complex, but coherent, understanding of the particular school environment to be constructed and developed. It is further argued that such a range of visual and spatial methods is needed to develop appropriate understanding. The study, therefore, contributes to knowledge about specific visual research methods, appreciation of the relationship between tools, and a general methodological understanding of visual methods' utility for developing understanding of the learning environment

Recognition and Clinical Presentation of Invasive Fungal Disease in Neonates and Children

AW and JK are supported by the Wellcome Trust Strategic Award (grant 097377) and the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology (grant MR/N006364/1) at the University of AberdeenPeer reviewedPublisher PD

Adding Bricks to Clicks: The Contingencies Driving Cannibalization and Complementarity in Multichannel Retailing

This paper empirically explores the contingencies that drive cannibalizing and complementary effects across channels to provide sales forecasting, promotion planning, and customer relationship management guidance to multichannel managers. We investigate three contingencies in a sales analysis of a leading U.S. retailer who adds a new retail store channel to existing catalog and online channels. We show that the emergence and strength of cannibalizing and complementary effects varies over time, across type of channel, and by type of customer, and provide insight into when and where managers can expect these effects to dominate and how to counter cannibalization and promote complementarity across channels. We find that opening retail stores cannibalizes sales in the catalog and online channels in the short term, but produces complementary effects in both channels in the long term; cannibalization is magnified in the catalog channel, while complementarity is magnified in the online channel. Customer analysis suggests that opening retail stores paves the way for higher rates of customer acquisition and higher rates of repeat purchasing among existing customers in the direct channels in the long term.Multichannel Retailing, Channels of Distribution, Direct Marketing, E-commerce, Channel Management